chamberlain



(No Model.)

J. C. CHAMBERLAIN.

ELEUTRICAL'UT-OUT DEVICE. No. 375,476." l Patented Deo. Z7, 1887.

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UNrTED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

J. CHESTER .CHAMBERLAIN, OF NEW YCRK, N. Y.

.ELECTRICAL CUT-OUT DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,476I dated December27, 1887.` i Application filed June 29, 1887. Serial No. 242,829. (Nomodel.)

'To aZZwtom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. CHESTER CHAMBER- LAIN, of the city'of New York,in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Electrical Cut-Out Devices, of which the followingis a specication.

My invention relates to the safety catch blocks orl supporls for fusiblesafety-catch links used rin houscwiring for electric lighting' whichcarry the safety-catches, and within or upon which the connectionsbetween the circuit-wires and the safety-catches are made.

`The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effectiveconstruction for the blocks and connecting devices, whereby goodelectrical and mechanical connections will be made, and the parts,whilereadily accessible for observation and for repair,will be protected fromaccidental contact or injury.

My invention consists in the novel devices and combinations of devicesemployed by me in accomplishing the-above-named object, as hereinafterset forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a top view of a safety-catchblock embodying my invention with its cover removed; Fig. 2, asectionwith the cover on, online 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section of the blockon line 8 3 of Fig. l, looking from the right, showing also the lowerprotecting-block in section on line 3 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4, a top View ofsaid lower block; Fig. 5, a section of a double block for `crossing orbranching circuits on line 5 5 of Fig. 6; Fig. 6, a top view of thelower block of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 a section of a modified form oftheblock shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Referring first to Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, the insulating safetycatchblock is composed of a circular screw-threaded upper portion, A, and asquare lower portion, A. These are made in one part, preferably of bakedand glazed pottery or earthenware. Extending across the circular portionA is formed a rib, c, with a smaller rib, a', upon it. r Within theblock and extending through it are four cylindrical metal barrels, b band c c, each provided with a squared or polygonal liange or shoulder,d.

These are set in the clay before baking and baked therein, and theflanges d hold them in place and keep them from turning. The block thusformed is readily transported from place to place, and is prepared toreceive the circuit wires, connecting devices, and safetycatches.

The block as so far described is for the interpolating of a safety-catchin each side of a continuous circuit.

B represents the wires of one side of thewcircuit, and B those of theother side.

The connecting devices are hooks each consisting of a cylindrical stem,@,With an oblique slot, f, at its lower end and screw-threaded, andprovided with a longitudinal slot or split, g, at its upper end. rIheseveral ends of the circuit-wires being bared of insulation are placedin the slots f of the appropriate hooks, so that the wires of the sameside of the circuit are in line with each other, the hooks being broughtup through the barrels b and c.

vEach safety-catch consists of a bent :fusible wire, h, soldered toelongated copper terminals t', extending at right angles from the end ofsaid wire.

One safety-catch is connected between the severed wire B B by insertingits terminalst'z' inthe slotsgg of the hooks connected with said wire,and then screwing down upon said terminals the lnuts lc 7c. These nutsdraw the split ends ofthe hooks together upon the terminals'and clampsaid terminals against the heads of the barrels and also draw the wiresclosely up against the lower ends of said barrels, which are preferablyprovided with notches, as indicated at Z Z in Fig. 3 and also in Fig. 7,in which the wires lie. Good and flrin electrical and mechanicalconnections are thus formed between the wires and safetycatch. The othersafety-catch is similarly connected between the severed ends of wires BB, whereby both sides of the circuit are coinpleted, each through asafetycatch.

The barrels and*connecting-hooks being, as shown, so long as to extendbelow the block, I prefer 'to provide a covering-block, C, of insulating material, preferably baked clay, Figs. 3 and 4, having in its upperside slots D D, in which the wires lie, and circular cavities E E, whichare entered by the connecting devices. I prefer to make the safety-catchblock with a cross-rib, m', on its lower side, which prevents the endsof the severed wires from IOO being brought into contact, and whichenters a slot, m2, in the protecting-block C. The

block is designed to be secured to a wall or ceiling by screws passingthrough holes m in 5 the main block, and holes n in the coveringblock.

After the parts are placed in position I place upon the block, in orderto protect the connecting devices and safety devices from externalcontact or injury, a cover or cap, F. This is a dome-shaped cover, witha flange, o, at its lower side, and is transparent, being preferablymade of glass. This cover has a crossbridge, G, made in one piece withit, which, when the cover is placed in position, rests upon the rib a,being provided with a groove, p, which iits over the smaller rib a. Thecover is held by a metal screw-ring, II, screwed upon the part A of theblock, and having an inward iiange, r, resting on the iiange 0 of thecover. Thus while the safety-catches can be readily inspected throughthe transparent cover, they are protected from any injury, and fromdust, moisture, insects, &c. The crossbridge completely separates thetwo sides of the circuit upon the block and prevents any short circuitor arcing between them, and engaging, as it does, with the rib a', thecover is prevented from turning. I may provide a rubber gasket orwasher, r', under the edge of the cover.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 the two parts of the block are separatepieces and maybe made of wood or any suitable insulating material,though I prefer a non-combustible material. The barrels are made, asbefore described, with flanges d, and the block A has squared recessesfor receiving said flanges. For convenience of transportation, a screw,I, may be provided, holding the parts together, but when the block is inuse no such device is necessary, since the connecting devices performthe same office. In the form shown in this gure no lower covering-blockis provided; but the barrels do not extend through the block, and thelower side of the block has slots s s for receiving the wires.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a block forjoining multiple-arc branches to a maincircuit, through safety-catches, one for each side of the circuit. Theblock A A is as before. The block K is placed below it, having in itsupper side parallel slots t t, and in its lower side parallel slots u uat right angles to t t. Apertures v o extend through the block K at themiddle of slots u u. Long barrels extend through the upper block andthrough apertures o 'v to the slots u u and long connecting-hooks extendthrough said barrels and connect the wires which are laid in the slots ua to the safetycatches, in the same manner as already explained.

The wires of the crossing circuit pass through the slotst t, and shortconnecting-hooks extend from them to the top of the block. Thesafety-catches each connect a long barrel to a short one, and are thusinterpolated in the connections between the two sides of the twocircuits. It will be seen that the top view of this form of block willbe the same as Fig. 1.

Vhat I claim is- I. The safety catch block of pottery orearthenware,having the metal barrels inserted and baked therein andextending through the block, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of an insulating safetycatch block, metal barrelsextending through such block, and connecting devices extending throughsuch barrels engaging with wires on the under side of said block, andconnected with safety-catches on the upper side,whereby thesafety-catches are interpolated in the ci rcuit and the Wires are heldto the block, substantially as set forth.

3. rlhe combination of the insulating safetycatch block, the metalbarrels extending through the same, and the connecting-hooks passingthrough said barrel, adapted to engage circuitwires on one side of thcblock, and provided with means for connection with safetycatches at theother side of said block, substantially as set forth. f

4. The combination, with a safety catch block, of the connecting devicesextending th rough the same, each adapted to engage a eircuit-wire atone end,and having a screw-thread and a longitudinal slot for receivingsafetycatch at the other end, and nuts upon said screw-threadedends,substantially as set forth.'

5. The combination, with the block carrying two safety-catches, oftherib on said block between them, and the cover having a groovedcross-bridge fitting upon said rib,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the block carrying asafety-catch, and having ascrew-threaded portion, of the circular cover, and the screwthreadedring for holding said cover on said block, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination,with a block carrying a safety-catch upon one side,wires placed in IIO grooves on the other side of said block, and

connecting devices extending through said block and `joining said wiresto said safetycatch, of a protectingblock placed against saidsafety-catch block, so as to cover and protect said wires and connectingdevices, suhstantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 25th day of June, 1887.

J. CHESTER CHAMBFRLAIN. Witnesses:

VVILLLIM InLznie, E. C. BOWL/IND.

